Gregg: Cabinet offer enhanced GOP standing

WASHINGTON, April 20 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., says his influence in the Republican Party has been raised by being tapped by the White House for U.S. commerce secretary.

Rather than drumming him out of the party for accepting -- and then rejecting -- an offer from Democratic U.S. President Barack Obama to join his Cabinet, the GOP has embraced Gregg as its foremost critic of the White House's budget proposals. Gregg told Monday's Boston Globe it's an ironic position to be in.

"I think my influence on these issues has been raised, ironically, because of the commerce exercise," Gregg told the newspaper. "I'm not saying anything that's different from what I have always said, but in our culture there's a little bit of notoriety that comes when you get your 15 minutes."

Former New Hampshire congressman Jeb Bradley said the episode enhanced Gregg's standing with Republicans in two ways.

"Conservatives felt good when he was going to be their voice in the administration, but they felt excellent when he said he was not going to sell out his principles," he told the Globe. "He wins on both counts from conservatives."